Guinness IS Good For You

Pregnant women and nursing mothers were once advised to drink Guinness. In England, post-operative patients and blood donors were once given Guinness, based on the belief that it was high in iron.

More recently, researchers at the University of Wisconsin tested the health-giving properties of stout against lager by giving it to dogs who had narrowed arteries similar to those in heart disease.

They found that those given the Guinness had reduced clotting activity in their blood, but not those given lager. According to their research, a pint of Guinness a day may work as well as aspirin in preventing heart clots that raise the risk of heart attacks.

The researchers told a meeting of the American Heart Association in Orlando, Florida, that the most benefit they saw was from 24 fluid ounces of Guinness, taken at mealtimes.

They believe that “antioxidant compounds” in the Guinness, similar to those found in certain fruits and vegetables, are responsible for the health benefits because they slow down the deposit of harmful cholesterol on the artery walls.